Title
Fluid Extract of Veratrum Viride (American Hellebore)
Author
Manufacturer: Parke, Davis & Co., Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Date: Circa early 1900s
Image
Description
Amber glass bottle with applied lip and original paper label printed in red and cream. The label reads “Fluid Extract Veratrum Viride (American Hellebore) Alcohol, 80 per cent.” and carries the stark warning POISON in bold red type. Below, it notes that one cubic centimeter of the fluid extract represents one gram of the standard drug, and describes it as a “Powerful arterial sedative—use cautiously in frequent small doses.” The formula lists “Fluid Extract Veratrum Viride” with alcohol sufficient to make volume. The Parke, Davis & Co. logo and Detroit address appear prominently at the bottom.
Condition
Excellent overall condition for age. Label retains strong color with moderate staining and fading consistent with exposure. Bottle and lip are intact with no cracks or chips.
Gallery
Historical context
Veratrum viride, or American hellebore, is a highly toxic plant historically used as a cardiac and arterial sedative. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, pharmaceutical preparations such as this were employed to lower blood pressure and treat convulsive or febrile disorders. The narrow therapeutic margin and frequent reports of collapse and death from overdose eventually led to its abandonment in medical practice.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
The term “veratrum” derives from Latin for “violent poison.” Parke, Davis standardized its extracts as part of the company’s scientific push to measure alkaloid content in the 1890s—an early step toward modern pharmacology. Antidotes listed on the label include emetics, stimulants, and morphine or opium—illustrating the perilous nature of dosing in that era.
Excerpt
“Powerful arterial sedative—use cautiously in frequent small doses. Antidotes: emetics; stimulants; morphine or opium; recumbent position.”
Why it is in the Cabinet
This bottle exemplifies the razor-thin line between medicine and poison in the pre-regulatory age of pharmacy. Its inclusion represents both the scientific ambition of Parke, Davis & Co. and the danger inherent in early pharmacotherapy, where a single drop could decide a patient’s fate.
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